SUNDAY AM: Waistlines expanded on Thanksgiving Day, and this 3-day weekend and 5-day holiday shaped up as big for moviegoing, too. Maybe it’s because of the grim economy that audiences wanted laughs, but the mediocre PG-13 comedy Four Christmases, helped by a short 80-minute running time, knocked off Twilight for No. 1 on T-Day and easily stayed on top all weekend. The expected frontrunner from New Line/Warner BrosstarringVince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon overperformed for $31.6M for the 3-day weekend (which is far better than Vince’s last seasonal outing of $18.5M in the just plain awful Fred Claus) and $46.7M for the 5-day holiday.

Jumping into No. 2 because of big kiddie matinees and Thanksgiving audiences who love family pics, holdover Disney’s Bolt really cleaned up with 101% of its opening weekend which is rare. On Saturday, it did $10M and its estimated Sunday is $5.7M added to Friday’s $10.8M. That’s a 3-day total of $26.6M and 5-day holiday of $36M and total cume to date of $66.9M. The toon had a big comeback of $5.1M Wednesday in 3,651 plays after a difficult debut last weekend when Twilight skewed younger than expected.

Twilight started out strong, then ended up #3 in 3,419 venues for Summit Entertainment’s no-sex, no-violence, no-stars vampire movie adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling book. The PG-13 pic made $26.4M for the 3-day weekend and moved up to No. 2 with $39.5M for the 5-day holiday. The film crossed the $100 million mark at the North American box office on November 28th after only 8 days of release. Its new cume is $119.7M.

New 007 holdover Quantum of Solace from MGM/Sony was No. 4 and earned from 3,458 runs a 3-day weekend of $19.5M and for the 5-day holiday $28.1M. Its three-week North American cume is $142M, pacing well ahead of Daniel Craig’s first Bond actioner Casino Royale, which ended its 3-week run with close to $116M. Overseas, Quantum of Solace has sold a total of $340.1M in tickets, so its worldwide total to date is just over $482M.

At first, the big surprise was the poor 7th place opening Wednesday of 20th Century Fox’s sweeping period epic Australia with only $2.5M from 2,642 theaters. But it moved up to finish #5 with 20% more than the studio’s pre-release expectations: $14.8M for the 3-day weekend and $20M for the 5-day holiday. “This indicates tremendous word-of-mouth kicked in,” a Fox exec told me Sunday. “Australia is positioned for a long run and is becoming THE choice for adults.” Exit polling showed the audience demo breakdown was 65/35 over and under 25 and balanced on gender lines, 52/48 female and male.

With a long 2 hour, 45 minute running time, with credits, and only 52% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, rival studios think the pic won’t have legs or Oscars. Still, Fox is pointing to rave reviews in both The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, plus counting on very strong international appeal because director Baz Lurhmann’s films (Moulin Rouge, Romeo & Juliet) do 2x overseas what they do here. (“They have never been sprinters, they have been marathons. It takes awhile for audiences to catch up to his movies, which is why they have such large multiples,” a Fox exec told me.).

All along, Hollywood questioned whether Baz and fellow Oz countrymen Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman working for a media conglomerate founded Down Under could be a hit in North America. But Australia now looks like a low-grossing Far And Away with Vegemite that’s more about Aussie Pride than profit. As for whether financially this is Rupert’s Folly, Fox keeps insisting that the film’s cost of $125M was tempered by 40% Australian government tax credits to bring Australia‘s negative cost down to $75M. (As an insider explained, “If you believe in a project and believe in a filmmaker, then the thing to do is to try to responsibly protect the economic downside with partners and investments.” Yet again, Kidman proves box office poison while Jackman has only made money playing Wolverine. Worse, Australia follows a summer and fall series of box office losers for the studio.

At No. 6, DreamWorks Animation’s toon sequel Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa distributed by Paramount started its 4th weekend in release at 3,709 venues. Thanks to big kiddie matinees, it scored $14.5M for the 3-day weekend and $19.6M for the 5-day holiday and a hefty new cume of $159.5M.

Jason Statham is still a reliable draw in the franchise Transporter 3, now distributed by Lionsgate after the first two were released by Fox, in 2,626 dates for 7th place. The actioner made $12M over the 3-day weekend and $18.2M for the 5-day holiday. At No. 8, Universal’s rauchy comedy holdover Role Models hung in for $5.2M for the 3-day weekend and $7.8M for the 5-day holiday on 2,195 plays. Its new cume is $57.8M.

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Miramax’s The Boy In Striped Pajamas in 582 theaters placed 9th with $1.5M for the 3-day weekend and $2.1M for the 5-day holiday for a new cume of $5.1M.

The Wednesday opening of Gus Van Sant’s Oscar-touted pic Milk starring Best Actor nomination shoo-in Sean Penn was released Wednesday by Focus Features into 35 theaters in 19 major cities. The well reviewed biopic continued to be the top grossing film in the majority of the core houses, with San Diego, Washington DC, Portland, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and Seattle remaining very strong. As expected, Milk scored the best per screen averages of the holiday weekend — the highest of $14,945 on Saturday. It took in $1.3M for the 3-day weekend and $1.8M for the 5-day holiday.

Another award-buzzed film is 11th place Slumdog Millionaire from Fox Searchlight performed well in 49 theaters. It made $1.3M for the 3-day weekend and $1.7M for the 5-day holiday for a new cume of $3.5M.

151 Comments

Chromey • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

I really like Jackman but I only want to see him play tough guys in action movies. When not playing Wolverine he oughta make other action movies. That’s his audience, just waiting for more from him on that front.

Quantum of Solace was good though the ending was a little over the top.

P.J. • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

Damn, it appears Bore Christmases will do enough business to justify studios continuing to glut millions of dollars down the throat of the already bloated and dreadfully unfunny Vince Vaughn. But most Americans are attracted to comedy as bland and tasteless as an overcooked turkey, so I guess I understand his appeal.

As for Australia, the only thing that would make me see this paean to Baz Luhrmann’s bombastic ego is if it features Jacko from the old Energizer Battery commercials. Oi!

Rocket • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

OMG, I LOVED “Twilight”! The best vampire movie I’ve seen since “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” and “The Lost Boys”.

They definitely goofed with Australia, not just in greenlighting it but in marketing and timing. It’s a love-story with an epic backdrop, basically a chick flick. Unfortunately, it’s timed to close to another chick flick with buzz and that’s Twilight. It should have been released away from that huge a competition for its primary market.

Heck, market it in conjuction with an Australian tour company. Do something major on the giveaway side of things. Set-up an outdoor screen in the San Diego zoo near the exhibit with Aussie animals, do something creative,just don’t market and show it the way they just did. It was doomed from the start.

And lastly, poor Nicole Kidman. Her career is done. No one can survive that many flops, other than maybe Tom Cruise. Ironic, isn’t it?

Eric • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

I suffered through the overlong Australia and was striken by the blatant anti-White sentiment that appeared to be the real theme of this movie. The formula was stock – a cruel, bigoted and oppressive White society versus a motley crew of strong but humble (and wise) multi-racial characters who are led, of course, by the enlightened White heroes. The capacity for White people to hate themselves must amaze the rest of the world.

moviefiend • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

was walking down the street and saw the twilight poster above and started laughing – the stupidity of it, that guy’s creep/dork face and the tuned out girl. it looks like a lifetime movie everybody would normally laugh at around halloween, but now its a big cultural deal. it’s great.
if undead hunk types are big business, then when are they going to make the MADMAN movie??

Brian • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

Milk will do well only in the heavily homosexual and “progressive” regions, otherwise it will be a flop.
Austraila can’t win on it’s stars alone. Twilight has the goods it takes to succeed and it will stay at #1 for awhile.

Adealia Artist • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

The only reason Milk is up for anything is the holy and sacred politically correct subject matter. Milk was a nobody the only reason he is held up is because he was a homosexual. Propaganda pure and simple.

Anonymous • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

I don’t think these are bad numbers for “Four Christmases.” After all, it’s projected to do what many analysts believed it would do, maybe even a little better. If those numbers hold and it does $35 million or so this weekend, it could break $100 million at the B.O. for its run. That’s respectable for such a crappy film.

The story is really the continued success of “Twilight.” I’m really not getting this success but, then again, i’m not a thirteen-year-old girl.

So who knows??????

Keere • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

“No one can survive that many flops, other than maybe Tom Cruise. Ironic, isn’t it?”

Is this a joke… Tom Cruise is one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood. Except for last year’s “Lions for Lambs” his past 10-12 movies were all $100M plus films.

Twilight is a well deserved hit. I went with my 21 and 15 yr old daughters twice last weekend and am itching to see it again. We all read all 4 books twice. It is the story and a perfectly casted movie honoring Stephanie Meyer’s vision that makes this movie an instant classic. It won’t win any Oscars but the viewers have already decided it is the best movie of the year.

Mike • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

Who cared about Twilight a month ago? How many of you read the books a month ago? Just another trend that’ll die out fast like everything else

Tim Stephens • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

The hotness of the girl on the far left of the Twilight poster is more than offset by the creepy nerdiness of the lead actor. I’m officially old because I just don’t get this at all.

goodvibe61 • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

A couple things about the Milk postings above:

1. Apparently, after 2 California elections in which the population banned gay marriage, Milk should be classified as a politically “INCORRECT” film.

2. To Brian and Adealia Artist: Shame on you. Abraham Lincoln is rolling over in his grave. Discrimination is stronger than ever here in America. The rest of the world looks at us and shakes their heads in bewilderment. That doesn’t stop us from living lives of fear, hate, and judgement on issues we choose not to understand.

Harvey Milk was a nobody. Yeah, him, Dr. King and all the rest. George Bush, that’s a real American, right? My god these are scary times.

My thoughts... • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

Some observations about this weekend’s films…

1) I knew “Austrailia” would bomb and with it destroy what is left of Nicole Kidman’s career. She can kiss her $10 million+ paychecks goodbye now. This is really the biggest story of the weekend so far: the failure of “Austrailia.” This film cost nearly $150 million and will not make up anywhere near that. Given the ho-hum reviews this film is getting, I seriously doubt any Oscar consideration will be forthcoming. This film is officially a disaster. Perhaps on a scale only the makers of “Ishtar” can appreciate. People will lose their jobs over this Thanksgiving turkey. Count. On. That.

2) Proving his well-deserved reputation as a class-A douchbag, Vince Vaughn bailed on promoting “Four Christmases” (i’m assuming) smelling failure. It was up to Reese Witherspoon to save Warner from, let’s be honest, what could have been the major disaster of the weekend. $6 million is more than respectable for a Wednesday night. The film almost certainly will earn $100 million+ now (after all last year’s Vince Vaughn Christmas stinker, “Fred Clause,” made only $18 million its first weekend and made $72 million total). So I give props to Reese for selling this stinker and probably re-couping Warner’s investment. I hope this means that Warner will let Reese actually make a good film now.

3) “Twilight” proves the power of the fangirl. Underestimate them at your own peril.

4) “Milk” will be a phenomenon among the gay community, but will it succeed beyond that? Will it achieve mainstream success ala “Brokeback Mountain?” Too soon to tell.

Sternboy • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

Tom Rothman, prepare to leave the building. Maybe Hutch Parker ca get you a job in Catering. Finally maybe sanity will return to that place. And who knows, maybe even quality.

Babs • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

Ignore the uneducated homophobes who are trashing “Milk” without having seen it. It is their duty to automatically hate any movie with a gay lead character. They are too busy silkscreening signs that say “God Hates Fags” to actually use their brains

AaronSch • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

I don’t care how good “Milk” is supposed to be. I will not see anything with Sean Penn attached to it. Yes, Sean, free speech works both ways and I am using mine to personally boycott your work. It would be a wonderful gift for Christmas if you and your fellow traitor, Danny Glover packed your bags and moved to Venezuela. I’m sure your leftist, dictator buddy Hugo would welcome you with open arms.

Satan's PA • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

I fucking hate Twilight fangirls. Instant classic? Best movie of the year? Thanks for the laugh. I swear to God, you people have no fucking taste at all.

Apparently, y’all seem to have to have forgotten this little movie called The Dark Knight. Remember that one? It has made… oh, I don’t know… something like $530 million so far. And nearly $1 billion worldwide. Surely, you folks haven’t forgotten about that one, have you? It’s only the biggest movie of the year so far and one of the best as well.

But, hey, who cares about Batman when you have Mr. Sparkling Vampire himself, Edward Cullen?

Gerald • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

Well, I saw Australia last night with a theatre that was maybe half-capacity at most. I enjoyed it. It fell short of greatness by not having a keen grasp on enrapturing storytelling momentum but oddly enough I still felt it moved along briskly for something of such lofty length. I didn’t sense that there were any sequences were Baz Luhrmann added superfluous, self-indulgent padding and I ultimately appreciated it greatly for its lush, old-fashioned, epic postmodernism. I’d frankly rather have a flawed brawny throwback spectacle than no such attempt at all. There were a few walkouts from my screening and the vibe I detected from those exiting the auditorium wasn’t exactly effusive but there were some of us who stayed through the end credits to reach agreement once the lights came back on that it was a valiant effort by a first-rate filmmaker. I doubt that it’s going to have Moulin Rouge staying power in the United States though since one of the attractions from that film which lured in younger audiences was the juxtaposition of modern music with the 19th century atmosphere. Also, I don’t agree with the criticism that the film wears banal racial liberalism on its sleeve because at heart the crux of the story, as conveyed through the pivotal mixed-race child character from the bush whom the two leads become surrogate parents to, is the usage of the WW2 era as a backdrop to decry this shameful time frame from the country’s past when the Aboriginals were subjected to appalling dehumanization.

Original Joe • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

You’re right, I jumped the gun on the Tom Cruise comment. Nicole Kidman has had what, two amjor studio flops now? (Australia, Invasion)

Bewitched actually made money of you count international box office ($129 million versus $85 million busget) and The Golden Compass was a big success internationally ($364 million).

Her independent films haven’t done well, but then again, who expected Fur and Margot At the Wedding to do well, anyway?

Tom Cruise has flopped in one film, Lions For Lambs (which wasn’t really a studio flick but was budgetted and casted as if one) and is about to flop in a second, Valkyrie.

My error. I jumped the gun on Valkyrie.

Tim • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

“Twilight” is my favorite film of the year. I was intrigued and the performances were fine across the board. Vampire flicks don’t usually appeal to me, but after seeing “The Secret Life of Bees,” I was ready to be entertained. “Twilight” is fun from beginning to end.

mr_tillett • on Nov 28, 2008 7:10 am

Although its hard to find actual numbers, I was under the impression that Australia trounced Quantum of Solace in Australia on Wednesday. It was, however, far below the opening week figure of Quantum of Solace.

As a long time watcher of the Australian box office, I thought the opening figure of Lurhmann’s film was pretty exceptional. I see an opening weekend arund AUS 8 million dollars, not far below QoS’s 11 million (and lets be honest, these are very different films, which will have very different patterns of performance at the boxoffice).